Botetourt Couple Honored with
2019 Chancellor's Award for Leadership in Philanthropy
Richmond – The Virginia Community College System and Chancellor Glenn DuBois have presented Donna and Stephen Vaughn of Eagle Rock with the 14th Annual Chancellor's Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. They were nominated for the award by the Dabney S. Lancaster Community College Educational Foundation.
Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn were recognized along with two dozen other individuals, families, and businesses from around Virginia for their exceptional support of Virginia's Community Colleges. The awards were presented at a luncheon sponsored by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education in Richmond on Tuesday, April 16. As part of the award, each college will be given funds for the Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship, to be named in honor of the college's 2019 Chancellor's Award recipient.
Stephen and Donna Vaughn are pillars of the DSLCC community, as well as their home community of Botetourt County, notes Rachael Thompson, Executive Director of the DSLCC Educational Foundation, which nominated the couple for the award.
Stephen is an alumnus of DSLCC and serves on the DSLCC Local Board. Donna is a long-standing member of the DSLCC Educational Foundation Board, having served for 12 years. During that time, she has served as President, Scholarship Committee Chair and Co-Chair, and Co-Chair of the Botetourt Division during the Foundation's $4.1 million campaign, which ended in 2016.
“Together, they have made significant contributions of time, talent, and financial support," says Thompson. “They are the consummate advocates for DSLCC, attending every event and meeting, helping before and after, and always making themselves available for any College needs that arise. DSLCC and the Educational Foundation could not ask for better supporters. They are truly dedicated to advancing our mission of Building Futures, Building Lives, Building Hope, as evidenced by the four plus student scholarships that they support annually. The Foundation has relied heavily on their guidance, expertise, leadership, enthusiasm, and love of DSLCC."
“Steve and Donna are dear friends of DSLCC and truly deserving of this prestigious honor," notes DSLCC President Dr. John Rainone. “They freely give of time, talent, energy, and fortune to ensure that DSLCC, the Foundation, and our students are successful. As board members, donors, volunteers, and leaders, their enthusiasm for DSLCC is unparalleled and infectious. DSLCC is a better place because of their generous support in various ways; we could not ask for better champions than Donna and Steve."
Now in its 14th year, the Chancellor's Award for Leadership in Philanthropy recognizes outstanding leaders who have helped support Virginia's Community Colleges and their respective foundations. This year, among those to be honored are four members of VCCS faculty, all of whom have made contributions that have helped their colleges and their students grow. This year's class of distinguished philanthropy leaders has contributed a combined total of more than $18 million dollars to Virginia's Community Colleges. Donald Graham, keynote speaker and Chairman of the Board at Graham Holdings Company and Co-Founder of TheDream.US, spoke about the importance of Virginia's Community Colleges and the ways that the philanthropists have contributed to the Commonwealth.
“We are in this room today to tell you, whether you work for one of the colleges or have given to one of the colleges, that what you are doing is absolutely right," Graham said during his remarks. “I am so proud of this crowd for what you're doing, and I hope you are proud of yourselves and your fellow donors and of the leaders and teachers at the community colleges you serve.
For more information about the DSLCC Educational Foundation, or to make a donation, contact Thompson at (540) 863-2837 or email rthompson@dslcc.edu.